LIFE IN ITALY

Southland Times, Issue 25564, 6 January 1945, Page 6

LIFE IN ITALY

INVERCARGILL GIRL’S EXPERIENCES

“The most striking feature on our return to New Zealand,” said Miss Ena Robertson, a V.A.D. who returned to Invercargill yesterday with a draft of Middle East service personnel, “was the greenness and quantity of grass everywhere, also the houses and buildings bright and fresh with paint. In warscarred Italy, these things are noticeably lacking, and the gay Italian coast is now quite a different place, though the country around Sorrento and Capri is still beautiful.” Refering to the No. 3 General Hospital, where she was stationed, Miss Robertson said everything was very up-to-date. The water supply, when established, was excellent, and hot showers were always available. Red Cross parcels and mail from home arrived frequently and regularly, literature was plentiful and amusements were provided by concert parties and picture shows. The food, both in quantity and quality, was excellent in Italy, but in Tripoli it was very bad and very scarce, all meat and vegetables having been dehydrated, which made them rather unappetizing. “Leave was adequate” she continued, “though we found transport our greatest difficulty, as the train services are entirely disorganized as a result of all the towns between Rome and Naples being in ruins. However, we managed by hitch-hiking, and put our faith in army vehicles. We were very fortunate in being able to hear practically all the Italian operas, and we did a great deal of bathing at Bari, where we used the private beaches belonging to the Y.W.C.A.” • Referring to the climate, Miss Robertson mentioned that the weather in Italy can be even colder than in New Zealand at times, though the difference in temperature is very noticeable just now. They were in the habit of always having tea outside, though after 7 o’clock they always had to change into long-sleeved forcks because of the mosquitoes. Miss Robertson concluded by saying that the journey home seemed very long. “Also on the boat were Australians, Americans and Chinese,” she said, “and in our cabin were two Chinese girls on their way to study journalism in America. We got on very well with them and were very sorry to part.” Referring to the language difficulty, she said: “No, we didn’t have any trouble. Everywhere we went, we expected everyone to speak English, and they did.” Miss Robertson is a daughter of Mr and Mrs J. Robertson, Lewis street.